Blank for a moccasin shoe



Nov. 11, 1958 R. J. POTVIN 2,859,543

BLANK FOR A MOCCASIN SHOE Filed March 24', 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet l Wu! J. P0322137 fi ur ne Nov. 11, 1958 R. J. POTVIN BLANK FOR A MOCCASIN SHOE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 24, 1955 Ill Q Invezzfow;

H a 6y Q Nov. 11, 1958 R. J. POTVIN BLANK FOR A MOCCASIN SHOE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 24, 1955 5 6 SHOE SIZE United States Patent Ofce I LANK FOR A MoccAsiN SHOE Richard J .--Potvin, Brockton, Mass.

Application March 24, I955, SerialNo. 496,432

3 Claims. (Cl. 36-48) Thisinvention relatesto the construction'of moccasin shoes,,ofthe soft,.unlinedtype. I The construction here shown, although suitable :for larger childrensand adults shoes is particularly desirable for infants shoes,=as it produces a smooth and uniformly flexible bottom part with no ridges-or irregularities to cause irritation.

My co-pending application Serial No. 364,257, filed June 26, 1953, now Patent Number 2,757,396, granted August 7; 1956, discloses a moccasin shoe in which the quarter is joined at the bottom by a seam running cen- (rally from the heel'to the end of the toe. The joined portions at the toe form a free flap, and the vamp part of the quarter has a tab which is pulled over this flap and cemented to the under part of the quarter when the shoe is placed on the last.- A wide elastic band is then placed around theside and bottommargins of the shoe to mold the upper to the last and to hold the tab flat while the cement sets. The upper and last are shaped so that the quarteri'formsia. substantially vertical wall in the front of the toe region.

One object of this invention is to eliminate the double thickness at the toe in a shoe of the general type to which the aforesaid co-pending application pertains. Another object is to produce a shoe having a bottom which is entirely closed before the shoe is placed on the last, so that the shoe, and especially the toe portion, will automatically seat itself properly on the last, and the operation of pulling over and cementing the tab is eliminated. A further object is to ensure that the lower margin of the toe wall is sprung sufliciently so that the toe seam lies well under the foot.

In the shoe here described, the upper has bottom parts which are joined together under the foot by a central seam running from the heel to a point about a quarter to five eights of an inch from the end of the toe. The forward edges of the bottom parts are curved so that, when the parts are joined together, these edges form an are approximately following the curvature, in plan view, of the toe wall. The portion ofthe upper forming the toe wall has a bottom margin, the lower edge of which is butted and stitched to the forward edges of the bottom parts before the shoe is placed on the last. The lower edge of the toe is longer than the combined length of the forward edges of the bottom parts, so that when all the parts are joined the lower margin of the wall issprung and drawn in under the foot. A satisfactory shoe can be produced according to the method here described by merely placing the assembled upper, while damp, on the last and allowing it to shrink, but molding according to the method of my aforesaid application produces better definition of the feather line and toe wall. Other advantages and novel features of this invention will be apparent from the detailed description which follows:

In the drawings illustrating the invention:

Fig. 1 is an exploded view of the parts used to make a shoe according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the assembled upper;

2,859,543 d al-tented Nov. 11 -3 Fig. 3 is abottom view, of the upper;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the completed shoe; and

Fig. 5 is a chart illustrating the relationship of the length of the lower edge, of the toe wall to the forward edges of the; Bottom partsf-or various shoe sizes.-

The parts making up the shoe, as illustrated in Fig. :1, include a quarter 10, a plug 11, a heelstay 12, a heel counter 13, straps 14 and 15 (for a sandal type of shoe), and an outsole; 16.; It is understood that the bottom construction here-described can be applied to types of shoes other than sandals, for example, boots or oxfords. The quarter is cut to a pattern which consists of side portions 17 and 18,; bottom portions 19 and 20, and a vamp forepart 21 which forms the upstanding toe wall. The upper edge 22 and lower edge 23 of the vamp forepart are cut on a curve. The lower edge has a central notch 24, and extendsto side-notches 25 and 26. Bottom portions 19 and 20 have front tabs 27 and 28 with curved forward edges which run into the side notches. The: length of the" forward edge 'ofeach tab-is somewhat less. than the length of edge 23 from the central notch to the:

correspondingside notch so .as to produce a spring when the" toe seam' isijoine'd and insure that the lower margin of the vamp forepart is drawn under the foot.. The relationship between the dimensions of edge 23 and. theedgeswo'f tabs '27 and 28, whichxis subsequently ex plained herein, is important for the production of at smooth toe, and to insurethat the lower margin of thevamp forepar tis drawn in albar'oti'nd so that the toe:

seam isentirely'enclosed'when the outer sole is applied; The vamp blank here shown is foraleft shoe. The blank.

for the mating, right shoe would be cut from the same:

pattern turned over left." V

To constructth e shoe,tl1e'plug-1-1'is first stitched by hand or by machine to the upper edge 22 of vamp forepart 21 in the usual manner. The toe seam is then made by placing the corners, marked C, of tabs 27 and 28 at notch 24 and stitching the forward edges of the tabs to edge 23 with a zigzag stitch, starting at one corner notch and continuing to the other. The sewing operation forms a curved toe seam 29, in which edge 23 is fitted, without pleats or gathers, to the forward edges of tabs 27 and 28. Seam 29 in the finished upper approximately follows the curvature of the forepart, in plan view, and is spaced inward from the feather line. The lower edges of the bottom portions 19 and 20 are then joined by zigzag stitching to form the bottom seam 30. The heel is closed and the heel counter 13, stay 12, and straps 14 and 15 are attached in the usual manner.

The assembled upper is dampened and placed over the last. Due to the fact that the'bottom of the shoe is entirely closed, the forward part will conform to the last if merely left to dry, the heel stay being formed over in any conventional manner. Superior results are obtained, however, by molding to the last with an elastic band as described in my aforesaid copending application. The band takes care of the forming of the heel stay as well as producing a sharply defined feather line and toe wall shape.

The relationship between the dimensions of the edge 23 to either side of notch 24, and the edges of tabs 27 and 28 for various shoe sizes is best understood with reference to the chart shown in Fig. 5. This chart illustrates the length of these-edges for infants and childrens shoe sizes 1 to 12, but the same relationships would hold for larger sizes. On the blank 10 for the upper, shown in Fig. l, the central notch 24 is designated A, the bases of notches 25 and 26 are designated B, and the corners of tabs 27 and 28 are designated C. The shoe shown is for the left foot, and consequently tab- 27 and notch 25 lie to the inside of the foot and tab 28 so asto be reversed from right to the right shoe upper would be the reverse. On the chart, the length of edge 23 to the left of notch 24 (as viewed in Fig. l) is referred to as Arc AB inside, and the length of this edge to the right of notch24 is referred to as Arc AB outside. The length of the forward edge of tab 27 is referred to asfArc BC inside and the length of the forward edge of tab 28 is referred to as Arc BC outside. It will be noted that for a size 1, Arc AB inside is longer than Arc BC'inside by nds of an inch, that the difference increases by 'nd of an inch for each shoe size. The same relationships hold for Are AB outside and Arc BC outside, although these arcs in all sizes are A th of an inch shorter'than the corresponding inside arcs. It is apparent therefore that the length of either Arc AB with respectto the corresponding Arc BC can be determined for any selected shoe size by the following formula:

Arc AB=Arc BC+ (selected shoe size 1.)

What is claimed is:

l. A blank for a moccasin shoe upper comprising: a continuous, flat, relatively long and narrow strip disposed substantially on a single are of large radius extending from end to end of said blank, said strip having a central toe-wall-forrning portion and side portions, said toe-wall-forming portion having a forward edge, said side portions having bottom forming portions extending therefrom, said bottom forming portions each having a front edge curved away from said forward edge and adapted to be joined to said forward edge, said forward edge being slightly longer than the combined length 7 of said front edges.

2. A blank as described in claim 1, the forward edge of said toe-wall-forming portion being slightly convex.

3. A blank for a moccasin shoe upper comprising: a central toe-wall-forrning portion having a forward edge, a pair of side portions extending from the lateral edges of said toe-wall-forming portion, each side portion including a quarter-forming portion, said toe-wall-forming portions and Side portions all being disposed substantially on a single arc of large radius extending from one quarterforrning portion to the other, each of said side portions including a bottom forming portion extending therefrom, said bottom forming portions each having a tab projecting forwardly of said forward edge, each of said tabs having an inner edge curving forwardly away from said forward struction. The assembled upper is merely placed on the last and buckled tightly (or laced in the case of an 031- ford or boot). The forepart always seats itself properly and produces a uniformly smooth toe. The smoothness of the forepart is maintained throughout the life of the shoe, as there are no cemented edges to come loose.

" combined length of said inner edges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,076,285 Wiggin Apr. 6, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS t 448,187 Italy Dec. 10, 1949 

